Centrifugal process of blending oil and gas



Sept, 30 1924. www@ G. M. TURNER CENTRIFUGAL PROCESS OF BLENDING OIL AND GAS Filed May 7. 1920 -9 l2 @ya Z (l VENToR.

ATTORNEY Patented ept, d, H924,

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ll GAL PROCESS 0F BLMTJDING OIL AND GAS.

'application mea may 7, ieee. sel-mino. erases.

To all 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that l, GEORGE M. a citizen of the United States, residing at Riverside, in the county of Riverside and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Centrifu al Processes of Blending Oil and Gras, o which the following is a specification. Y

This invention relatesY to the extraction of gasoline from gases and vapors, and particularly from natural gas, and pertains to the use of an absorbing oil for extracting the gasoline content of gas.

@ne object ofl the invention is to pro-- edecting quickly; such thorough blendingand provide details of construction of centrifugal apparatus whereby the blending process isconducted.s

The present invention is to be diderenti ated from current processes which require the use of relatively large apparatus, large absorbing surfaces, and the use of mineral seall oil and pressures ranging up to several hundred pounds.` The present construction provides for the relatively rapid mixing of the absorbing oil with the gaseous medium b the use of centrifugal force, which force a o provides a very considerable portion of the necessary pressure.

'lhe operation of the process and the details of construct-ion are explained in the following specification, claimed in the accompanymg claims, and illustrated in the drawing which forms a part of this application.

Referring to the drawing, Figure l is a vertical section through the centrifugal blending apparatus,

Figure 2 is a sectional view, partly broken away on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

looking down on the. rotor member, and

Figure 3 is an exterior view with a portion of the casing broken away and illustrating the relative position of the interior parts of the apparatus.

Referring in (detail to the constructions illustrated in the drawing, 1 is the main casing which is substantially circular horizontally. Extending through the center of the casing 1 and vertically, is a drive shaft 2 having at its lower end a fixed pulley 2a which is driven by a belt 2b from a source of motive power 2, which is illustrated as an electric motor. The shaft 2 is journaled in the casing l at the oints 3, and isprovided with suitable stung boxes or packing glands 4L, which latter assist in preventing the escape of materials along the shaft 2. The lower end of the shaft rests on a suitable base 5 and roller or ball bearing means terior of the casing includes a rot-or memy ripheryand which is fixed to rotate with the shaft 2 by means of. a key member 7. 'lhe hub portlon of the member 6 rests on an annular collar 8 fixed to the shaft 2 and prevents the slipping of the rotor member 6 along the shaft. 0n' the upper and under faces of the rotor member 6 are flange members 9 which extend radially and project substantially at right angles from the opposite ,faces of the member 6. 'lhese anges are secured to the rotor member by any suitable means, such as welding, as

indicated at the point 10. rllhe hub ends of the Hanges 9 are secured to a perforatemember 11 which encircles the shaft 2 and which likewise is rigidly secured to the rotor member. 'lhe outer ends of the ange members 9 are secured by the circular plate members 12, which are likewise fastened to the rotor member, and which are freely perforated with the openings 13. The

Hanges 9 on one side of the plate-member 6 are staggered with respect to those on the opposite side, and all the anges are very rigidly seeuredby means of their fastenmgs to the members 11, 6 and 12. Projecting outwardly from the ends of the flange members 9 vand beyond the member 12 are the radially extending agitafing arms ld, which are rigidly secured for rotation nol with the rotor member 6 and the ianges v9.

These agitating arms 14 may be struck -up from` the part '12 or may be additional flanges or arms rigidly secured to the flanges '9 or the member .12." Positioned immedi- 'casing 1- is a iilter screen member 15 which vclosely embraces and encircles the periphery of the rotor member. Fixed bailies or agitating arms 16 are secured to the screen member 15 and are positioned in staggered relation with respect to the movable arms 14. Brace members 17 extend from the inner wall of the, casing 1 and constitute fastening means and spacing means for securing the filter member 15 in fixed-relation to the casing 1 and the rotor member.

Pipe means for the introduction of an absorbing ,oil is indicated at 18, and a control valve for regulating the entry of oil is indicated at 18?. Pressure means for the supply of oil is ndiagrammatically represented by the pump 18". Natural gas under pressure, or other gasoline, or kerosene containing gaseous or vaporous Ymedium, is led into the casing through a pipe 19 having the control valve 19a and a pressure pump 19". An outletfor oil and gas is vindicated by the pipe 20, which has a suitable control valve 203. A pressure gage is indicated at 21.

The operation of the process and apparatus will beunderstood from the following. Suiicient oil is admitted and the apparatus is started by turning on the motor 2' and rotating the shaft 2 with its rotor member 6 and parts secured thereto. The action of theserevolving parts generates considerable centrifugal force and throws the absorbing oil, which ma i be mineral seal oil, or other satisfactory a rbing medium, toward the outer wall of the casing 1. As the absorbing oil is admitted, this centrifugal force will bank up the oil, filling the space between the casing 1 and eventually covering the peripheryof the rotor member 6. During this banking up process the oil coming into Contact :with the agitating arms 14 and 16 is subjected to a very severe agitating treatment. Natural 'gas under pressure is forced in through the :pipe 19, and with suiiicient pressure to overcome the centrifugal force acting on the oil at the periphery of the rotor member, and with sufficient force to be bubbled through the filter member 15 in the lower half of the casing and to lbe forced back through the filter member on the upper side of the casing, and finally to escape out throughthe pipe 20. The entering pressure of the gas and oil must exceed the centri- -fugal leffect of rotation in order that the .materials may A,flow from the-outer portion of. theic'asing axially toward the outlet pipe 20. The agitation provided by the arms 14 and 16, and the rapidly revolving rotor member with its flanges 9, serves to thoroughly break up the oil and to mix the oil with bubbles of gas, and the oil which eventually flows out of the pipe 20 carries with it these bubbles. The solubility of the gas in the oil depends in part "on the pressure provided, and there develops a speed of rotation which may be considered with the; pressure under .which the absorbing oil and gas are admited. The nal governing control forv the pressure is the valve 20, which may be set to vary the outflow of oil and gas. If this valve is wide open, there will be but little pressure within the apparatus, but -on the other hand, if this valve is partly closed, the pressure within the apparatus is correspondingly built up. The a itation due t0 the centrifugal action, the orce of the ianges 9, the agitatingv arms 14 and' 16, and the screen 15 servesto break the gas bubbles to a relatively small size and promotes the solubility of the material carried by the gas in the absorbing oil.

The apparatus requires no heat and the absorption is conducted most advantageously if the conditions are maintained at a fairly low temperature. the absorption of the gas by the oil being correspondingly promoted. The modifications of the apparatus may be made without departing from the essential features of the process which require the use of centrifugalforce and rapid agitation. For instance, the apparatus need not necessarily be positioned to revolve on the vertical axis, the natural gas and oil may be admitted through one or any number of pipes or openings 1n the casing, and one or more outlets may be provided for theoutlet of material. Likewise, the process is not dependent on the position of the inlet or outlet openings of the material, and might well be conducted if these materials were ad- 1 mitted at the outer wall of the casing, or tangentially.

After the absorption of the gasoline content of the gas by the absorbing oil the material may be subjected to the usual separation processes, such as distillation, for removing the gasoline from the absorbing oil. It is believed that the use of this process and centrifugal apparatus in which it may be conducted will provide effective mea-ns of treating gasoline-carrying gases and va ors with an absorbing oil much more quic y, and 'to far better advantage than has heretofore been possible.

1. The process of extracting gasoline from natural gas, which process comprises maintaining by the application of centrifugal force a banked up body of absorbing oil under centrifugal pressure within a casing, e

forcingv gas containing gasoline to bubb through said banked up oil with suflicient pressure to overcome the centrifugal force applied to the oil, and separating the Agasoline content from the absorbing liquid.

2. The process of extracting gasoline from natural as, which process comprises maintaining y the application of centrifugal force a banked up body of absorbing oil under centrifugal pressure within a closed casing, forcin gas containing gasoline to bubble throug said banked up oil with Sullicient pressure to overcome the centrifugal force applied to the oil, and subjecting the oil with its absorbed gasoline content to distilllation to separate the gasoline from the o1 3. The process of separating gasoline from natural gas, which process comprises passing such a gas into a casing containing a gasoline absorbing oil,.subjectin said gas and oil to combined centrifugal orce and agitation by the action of a rapidly revolving rotor member, causing the oil to bank up Within said casing and to cover the periphery of said rotor member, maintainin under the pressure of centrifugal force t e oil material thus banked up, forcing the gas through the oil so banked up, removing the resultant gases and `liquid materials, and separating gasoline from such resultant liquid material.

4:. The continuous process of separating gasoline from natural gas containing gaso line, which process comprises continuously passing such a` gas into a casing containing a gasoline absorbing oil, continuously sub jecting said gas and oil to combined centrifugal force and agitation by the action of a rapidly revolving rotor member, maintaining a bank of the oil under centrifu al force, passing the gas containing gasoline through the oil with sucient pressure to overcome the centrifugal force under which the oil is banked up, continuously removing the resultant gaseous material and the liquid material, and separating gasoline from such resultant liquid material.,

5. The continuous process of separating gasoline from natural gas-containing gasoline, which process comprises continuously passing such a gas into a casing containing an absorbin oil, continuously subjectingV said gas and oil to combined centrifugal force and agitation by the action of a rapidly revolving rotor member,A continuous y causing the oil to bank up Within said casing and to thus fill the space between said casing and the periphery of said rotor member, maintaining the oil Kthus banked up under the pressure of the applied centrifugal force, continuously forcing the gas through the oil so banked up with sufficient pressure to overcome the pressure under which the oil is maintained, and continuously removing the resultant gaseous and liquid materials.

In testimony whereof l amx my si ature.

GERGE M. TUR WEB. 

